1. Mini-Lesson: Listing Comma
The listing comma is used when you are listing a string of information.
Ex: I went to the store and bought eggs, milk , bread, cheese, and broccoli.
Ex: The lovely, radiant princess kissed the vile, ugly frog.
Ex: A good student listens to his teachers without yawning, reads, and writes papers before they are due.

2. Mini-Lesson: The Oxford Comma
The Oxford comma is used after the second-to-last item on a list of three or more items before “and” or “or”
I love cheese, bagels, and pasta.
I love cheese, bagels and pasta.

3. Mini-Lesson: The Oxford Comma
Without the Oxford comma 
I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Kanye West.
With the Oxford comma 
I love my parents, Lady Gaga, and Kanye West.

4. Mini-Lesson: Apostrophes
What do you know about when to use an apostrophe?
Omission apostrophe
Possessive apostrophe

5. Mini-Lesson: Direct Address Comma
Would you like to eat, Iron Man?
Would you like to eat Iron Man?
Whenever a sentence directly addresses someone, you must use a comma to notate it.
Spiderman, your webs weave a complicated path.
The height of the building made saving the girl seem impossible, yet you made it look easy, Superman.
On you, Green Arrow, the color green looks much more appealing.

6. Mini-Lesson: Conjunctions & Connector Commas
When do we use semi colons?
Semicolons show us that there is a relationship between the two clauses, conjunctions make that relationship clear.
Conjunctions are words that connect other words, phrases and clauses.
You cannot use a conjunction to connect clauses without using a connector comma.

7. Mini-Lesson: Connector Comma
Small conjunctions can be remembered from the mnemonic device FANBOYS (for, and, not, but, or, yet, so).
Clause 1
Clause 2
She is a graceful dancer.
People enjoy watching her.
She is a graceful dancer, and people enjoy watching her.
She is talented.
She will attract many fans.
She is talented, so she will attract many fans.
Her technique is unconventional.
The effect is striking.
Her technique is unconventional, but the effect is striking.
She can fill an audience with joy.
She can bring people to tears.
She can fill an audience with joy, or she can bring people to tears.

8. Mini-Lesson: Introductory Commas
Introductory commas are used to separate background information from the main part of the sentence.
Introductory phrases often start with words like: after, although, if, before, since, until, when, etc.
If they want to win, athletes must exercise every day.
Although I am tired, I will not take a nap in class.
Yes, I am very happy to have Mr. Harris as my teacher.
No, you can’t eat that turkey in class.

9. Mini-Lesson: Non-essential detail comma
Non-essential detail commas separate the main part of the sentence from extra information. The red parts in the examples below are the main parts of the sentences.
“According to my mom, you should take vitamin C every day.”
“Luckily for you, class of 2020’s field day color is yellow, my favorite color.”
My chemistry book, which weighs about 100 pounds, has some really great examples.

10. Mini-Lesson: Omission apostrophes
The omission apostrophe is used when we write contractions. Contractions are two words that are shortened in to one.
Words
Contractions
Has not
Hasn’t
Will not
Won’t
Might have
Might’ve
That will
That’ll
You have
You’ve
She is
She’s
For the MOST part, the apostrophe is inserted where the missing letters are!
Might have  Might’ve
The apostrophe takes the place of the missing “ha”

11. Mini-Lesson: Possessive apostrophes
The possessive apostrophe is used to show that something belongs to some one or some thing.
Possession with a singular noun is formed by adding an apostrophe and an ‘s’.
The lawyer’s fee
The child’s toy
Mariana’s favorite hat.
Possession with a plural noun is formed by adding only an apostrophe when the noun ends in an ‘s’, and by adding an apostrophe and an ‘s’ when it doesn’t.
Excessive lawyers’ fees.
Children’s toys.
Teachers’ favorite class.

12. Mini-Lesson: Possessive apostrophes
If a singular noun ends in an ‘s’, you can simply place an apostrophe at the end of the word to show possession.
I touched the cactus’ prickly needles
Mr. Jones’ favorite holiday is Halloween.
ALWAYS place the apostrophe outside of the word in question.
Ex: Mr. Hastings has a pen. Is it…
Mr. Hasting’s pen. OR
Mr. Hastings’ pen.

13. Mini-Lesson: The Semicolon
The semicolon indicates that the two sentences on either side of it are closely related ideas. Unlike a colon, the two sides of a semicolon must be able to stand alone as their own clauses.
“The ice cream truck man drove by my house today. He had a big, white hat on.
“The ice cream truck man drove by my house today; he had a big, white hat on.

14. Mini-Lesson: Figurative vs. Literal
Literal language means exactly what it says.
Figurative language uses similes, metaphors, hyperbole, personification, analogies, and idioms to describe something.
You need to FIGURE out what it means.

15. Mini-Lesson: Figurative vs. Literal
It started to rain.
Raindrops danced along the street. (personification)
The warehouse is dirty and creepy.
The warehouse is a dusty, silent, tomb.
(metaphor)
My cousin is really good at growing plants.
My cousin has a green thumb.
(idiom)
She ate a lot of pizza.
She ate a thousand slices of pizza.
(hyperbole)
The line at the movie theater moved slowly.
The line at the movie theater moved like a snail.
(simile)